Renovations and Additions is about how this Architect designs updates and improvements to existing houses.
Click on image above to see movie of proposed renovations & additions to a Glenville, NC house.
The new features are being designed by HOME ARCHITECTS ®. The older existing house was not designed by this Architect, but the new Architect worked to improve it. The firm was hired to repair, repurpose and improve the existing aging house and provide increased functionality. This project is receiving a new stair & elevator tower, new 2-story window wall (to see the 50+ acre mountain views), helipad (yes: for a helicopter), new entry circular Motor Court with earth-tone pavers, other paving, new electrical systems including outdoor lighting, completely new walkout basement level renovations, home office and more. For instance: the existing home had a severe mold problem, caused by lack of a proper HVAC system and moisture leaking through the underground retaining wall at the rear and one side of the existing walkout basement level.
The Architect solved this by helping the new Owner find a mold mitigation contractor who fumigated the entire house to kill all of the mold in the structure, and sprayed a new interior-applied penetrating crystalline chemical waterproofing product to address the moisture leaking issue. Both treatments were successful and resulted in a fresh-smelling, like-new house, ready for the new renovations and additions. When investigating the problems with older houses, a substantial technical and aesthetic knowledge base can be of assistance in solving issues.
Specialty Mold Mitigation Contractor at work here applying mildicide chemical to retaining walls during the renovations. Architect coordinated with a General Contractor, who performed selective demolition and Structural Engineer, regarding the need for reinforcement of the retaining walls.
Click on image above to see aerial movie of the proposed renovations & additions, including a helicopter landing on the new helipad.
In addition, the existing house was rather plain, with no distinguishing features. Therefore, the Architect for the renovations & additions designed a new stair/elevator tower (arranged to contact the existing structure at the point of least width to minimize view loss), then designated a barn red color for its walls and a silver metal roof, reminiscent of historic barns in the area, which seemed fitting, as the land surrounding the house is technically a farm. The Architect then ordered the existing house to be painted a dark brown, visually “erasing” much of its patchwork quilt of aging materials and creating an understated contrast with the new tower element.
Among the existing practical issues: the existing house had a basement level arrangement that didn’t work for the needs of the new Owner. For instance, one of the new occupants uses a wheelchair everyday. Therefore, a new elevator was designed, and the entire basement level was rearranged to accommodate the new family’s requirements. One of the interesting improvements involved removal of existing elements that blocked the views from the interior to the glorious mountain acreage outside. So, the Architect designed a new 2-story tall window wall, with an interior overlook connecting the space of part of the main living area above to the “Terrace Level” (what the Architect calls the renovated Basement). This also served to admit more light as well as eliminate the “feeling” of a “basement.” How many basements have you been in that have part of their ceiling more than 22′ tall? Not many, right? This may be one of the first. A new way of managing the space of what historically has been dark and dingy to instead fully breathe and have large windows and glass doors that lead directly to outside patios, and become light-filled and joyous spaces.
tags: renovation & additions, Cashiers, Highlands, Sevierville, Hendersonville, Asheville, Lake Murray, Columbia, mountain